Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad’s fall: From 24 years in power to death sentence

Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule ended in December 2024 after rebel forces advanced. He fled to Moscow, concluding over five decades of family rule in Syria. A Damascus court sentenced him to death in absentia for various crimes. His rule was defined by a civil war which began in 2011. Hundreds of thousands died, cities were flattened, and many fled the country.